Mini-missions

From walking beside active volcanoes to swimming in freezing-cold lakes, here’s how to pack a miniature expedition into a humble weekend

28 DON’T LOOK DOWN ON THE CAMINITO DEL REY IN SPAIN

Not long ago, the Caminito del Rey was renowned as the world’s most dangerous footpath. A canyon trail built a century ago for workers at an Andalucian hydroelectric dam, it fell into disrepair in recent decades. Daredevils came to hop over missing sections, with 100-metre drops below. Last year, the two-mile route was restored. The handrails are back and now anyone with a head for heights and a hard hat can traverse the Caminito, admiring the landscape: sandstone cliffs, pine forests and the same stomach-churning drops down into the canyon far below. Should you need some time to recover the next day, Málaga’s beaches and bodegas are a short train ride away (entry ticket from £9; caminitodelrey.info).

• ARRIVE Málaga is reached by flights from almost every UK airport (from £80; ryanair.com). The entry point of El Chorro is 45 minutes away by train (from £9; renfe.com).